Prison for Hampshire sought

By LEIGH HORNBECK Staff writer

Published 12:01 am, Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BALLSTON SPA -- The last of 20 witnesses took the stand Monday in Saratoga County Court as part of the District Attorney's attempt to convince Judge Jerry Scarano that Jeffrey Hampshire should be imprisoned for 15 years, if not longer.

Hampshire, 30, was convicted of tampering with evidence in connection with the death of Ryan Rossley in Saratoga Springs last year. It was Hampshire's third felony conviction, which means he fits the first criterion for persistent felon status at sentencing time. Instead of 2 to 4 years for the low-level felony, Hampshire could get life in prison.

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Assistant District Attorney Jim Davis' job is to prove Hampshire is a bad guy, whose character fits the second criterion of the persistent felon statute. Over a day and a half of testimony, Davis called Hampshire's former associates, probation and parole officers, local police and civilians who testified to crimes Hampshire allegedly committed but was never caught doing.

An ex-girlfriend, Shannon Tracey, now serving a prison term for burglary, testified she and Hampshire broke into businesses in Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa, including the former Weathervane restaurant. Hampshire eventually pleaded guilty and went to prison for his role in the attempted burglary of the restaurant in 2006.

Davis called city police officers and Ballston Spa Police Chief Charles Koenig to the stand in an effort to corroborate Tracey's testimony.

But Hampshire's lawyer, Cheryl Coleman, questioned Tracey's testimony and tried to cast doubt on each witness with her theory: Police and prosecutors alike are angry Hampshire was acquitted of murder in 2000 and they have been out to get him ever since.

Hampshire and his then-girlfriend, Katherine Seeber, were accused of killing her step-great-grandmother and robbing her in Colonie, then dumping her body in Stillwater. Coleman, who is scheduled to begin her case May 26, has long said the Saratoga DA's office "lacks focus" on Hampshire.

Lawyers for Seeber, 29, are seeking a new trial for Seeber on the grounds a former forensic scientist with the State Police falsified data in dozens of criminal cases. She will be back in Saratoga County court on Friday.